House inspection for rented property

Fen1

We have lived in our rented house for many years and are excellent tenants. We always pay on time, keep the place in good order, report anything immediately, get on with the neighbours, etc.
We have always rented, and our other properties had annual inspections. This one has quarterly, which I find excessive. If we were problem tenants I might understand but we are most certainly not. We are on a rolling tenancy, rather than fixed term ( as we have always been in other properties. We are not a flight risk.)
Does anyone else have quarterly inspections? It is getting to the point that it is impinging on my right to quiet enjoyment, especially as they are now giving less than a week's notice. ( I used to be able to arrange the meeting well ahead of time, which at least made the situation manageable.)
My contract states that they can inspect the property, and if they cannot have acces I will be fined.

sofarbehind

I feel for you. I'm in a similar position and have always rented. Until recently we'd either had no inspection or an annual inspection, which is fair enough.


In my new place there is an inspection every four months with two or three days notice. I find it really intrusive and stressful. I'm a mid 30s professional and I take pride in my home like everyone else. In the past my landlords have left me in peace after a year when they realise that I'm responsible. The new ones 18 months on are still awful and intrusive. A few months ago they sent me a letter after an inspection complaining that I had a small chiffon scarf draped over the curtain rail and I might damage it????!!! They don't miss an opportunity to remind you that you're living in an asset not a home. I hate living here and hope I can escape this sort of thing soon. I think this is typical of amateur landlords.

theartfullodger

The fine is almost certainly non-enforceable, but then they can issue s21 for no reason at all.

See this VERY long thread about inspections & visits:
http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?26589-L-s-right-of-access-for-inspection-or-viewing

Bet the agent is charging the landlord for the inspection: Next time they come send them an email 5 minutes before they arrive with a list of repairs not done or defects in heating etc. The inspection is only supposed to be about ensuring the place is OK for you the tenant, not for the landlord to tell you how to live:

Were it me (retired, somewhat forceful of opinion, a landlord - sorry) think I'd get a bag of coal & put it in the bath: It;s your home, your property (oh yes, see...
http://www.landlordlawblog.co.uk/2010/08/31/urban-myth-when-a-landlord-lets-a-property-its-still-his/
) for you to chose what to do with (within agreed clauses...).

Cheers!

Dazi

Same here, been renting this place for nearly 9 years and have inspections by the LA every 3 months, sometimes it's only 2 months.

The letter they send out is quite snotty and once they changed it saying no one was in and we hadn't let them know they would take this as meaning we had given them permission to let themselves in :mad:

The actual inspection consists of her standing in the hall, asking if everything is ok and ticking a sheet.

Landlord is ok, but sometimes just turns up.

jjlandlord

Dazi wrote: »

The letter they send out is quite snotty and once they changed it saying no one was in and we hadn't let them know they would take this as meaning we had given them permission to let themselves in

Well, there are not wrong...

topsales

Have rented for the past 18 months - never had a landlord inspection - though wouldn't be bothered as all is fine!

dancingfairy

You could always write a letter to the landlord saying that you enjoy living in the property, that you've lived there for x years but that you feel quarterly inspections are overkill and would they be able to accommodate 6 monthly/yearly?
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NobodysChild

That does sound a bit too often to be honest. I think would ask why it needs to be so often.

I would have thought that after you have had 3 inspections, and you have been paying the rent on time for at least a year, they should hold back on them. Surely twice a year is enough? Maybe even once?

I have a friend who is in housing association now, who had inspections every 4 months, and she used to hate them with a passion, especially as they saw fit to take between 25 and 35 pictures inside the house each time.

She has been worried since she left (a year ago,) that they may use the pics of the house from when she and her family were there (with all their personal possessions and photos on the walls etc,) for when they advertise the house for rental.

When she left, they used pics from the previous tenant, so she has her eye open on the private lets to make sure that this house doesn't come up, with her pictures on it, as they promised her they would never be used. She still feels uneasy and a little violated by knowing that the agent has dozens of photos of the inside of the house with all her stuff in it.

Dazi

I missed an if out of my post it should read if no one was in. Wasn't saying no one was in and we didn't let them know as barring any emergency I would always have the decency to let someone know if I couldn't make an appointment.

It doesn't work the other way though, we don't always get told if they are not going to turn up.

And is that true then? They can just let themselves in?

NobodysChild

Dazi wrote: »

I missed an if out of my post it should read if no one was in. Wasn't saying no one was in and we didn't let them know as barring any emergency I would always have the decency to let someone know if I couldn't make an appointment.

It doesn't work the other way though, we don't always get told if they are not going to turn up.

And is that true then? They can just let themselves in?

I seriously doubt it. Unless there is an emergency. Like a gas leak. An agent or LL can't just let themselves in when it suits, to have a merry look around and a nose! If it were me, they would not get the chance anyway, as I would change the locks within a few days of moving in.

jjlandlord

They gave notice pursuant to the landlord's right of entry for inspection purposes so if you don't reply they certainly have the right to enter and carry out the inspection.